Can Universal Scholarship Programs Reduce

Inequality?Lessons from Kalamazoo

Dr. Michelle Miller-AdamsDepartment of Political Science, GVSUW.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment

Research

January 24, 2011

Educational Inequality by RaceWhites Hispanics African-

Americans

% below “basic proficiency” in 4th grade reading(2009, Michigan)- Education Trust Midwest

28 49 65

High-school graduation rates(2007-08)- National Center for Education Statistics

81 64 62

% of population with college degree or higher (2009)- U.S. Census

30 13 19

Universal v. Targeted Social Programs

Some assistance programs are directed toward those with demonstrated needTANF, food stamps, Head Start, Pell grants)

Others are universalK-12 education, Medicare, Social Security

Most scholarship programs are based on financial need and/or academic merit; Kalamazoo Promise breaks with this model

Evidence of higher levels of political/public support for universal programs

What is the Kalamazoo Promise?

Announced 11/05, to continue in perpetuity

Funded by anonymous private donors

Place-based: Kalamazoo Public SchoolsCovers 65-100% of tuition and fees at all in-state,

public post-secondary institutions for KPS graduates

Universal: every graduate is eligibleMinimum 4-year residency & enrollment10 years to use scholarshipBlending of educational and economic goals

Kalamazoo Public Schools Demographics

Racial composition 46% African-American 39% White 10% Hispanic 5% other

Socioeconomic makeup 69% of KPS students are economically disadvantaged

86% of African-American students 46% of White students

Disparities within district (across 17 elementary schools) Low-income percentage ranges from 97% to 25% Non-white percentage ranges from 96% to 28%

A tool for reducing inequality?

Distinction between inequality of opportunities and inequality of outcomes

Kalamazoo Promise works to equalize both:Universal college accessStructural & cultural school changeAlignment of community resources

Skocpol (1991) – “targeting within universalism”

Equalizing opportunityReduction in financial barriers to college

attendance

Results (classes of 2006-2010)1,900 students have received scholarships

(81% of those eligible)1,200 are currently enrolled$21.5 million spent

Use of Kalamazoo Promise by race closely matches demographics of eligibility for the program.

Use of Kalamazoo Promise by low-income students closely matches demographics of school district.

Usage by Race(data as of spring 2010)

2006

2007 2008 2009

% eligible graduates who have used Promise

83 83 85 73

% of eligible African-American graduates who have used Promise

83 81 85 72

% of eligible Hispanic graduateswho have used Promise (small-n)

71 90 82 66

% of eligible Caucasian graduates who have used Promise

86 85 85 77

Usage by Socioeconomic Status*(data as of spring 2010)

2006 2007 2008

2009

% graduates w/ Free & Reduced Meal status

48 50 59 59

% of KP-eligible students w/ Free & Reduced Meal Status

46 49 58 58

% of students w/ Free & Reduced Meal status who have used Promise

43 46 56 60

* Free & Reduced meal status is underreported for all categories because only most recent five years of data is available and high-school FARM rates are lower than total district rates.

Tiering of attendance and attainment

Low-income students more likely to attend 2-year rather than 4-year institutions.

Positive outcomes vary across type of institutionStudents at 4-year institutions: 85%Students at 2-year institutions: 47%

Low-income students are struggling once in college.KP users who qualified for Free & Reduced Meals

while at KPS account for: 35% of students in good standing 70% of students on probation 67% of students whose scholarships have been suspended

Non-financial barriers

K-12 achievement gap by income and raceLack of college preparedness

Academic, social, emotionalAbsence of role models / supportCultural: sense that “college isn’t for me”

Importance of defining college broadlyIndirect mechanisms of support for

college access/success

Equalizing outcomes

Cultural: efforts to ensure that every student is “college-ready”Elementary school: full-day Kindergarten; early literacy

emphasisMiddle school: new block schedule, career awareness

and college preparationHigh school: college readiness course, expanded AP

offerings, credit recovery, weighted gradesStructural: socioeconomic integration of schools

Supported by enrollment increase & new school construction

Will it extend to elementary schools? Neighborhoods?

Cultural ChangeIncreased Advanced Placement enrollment (2007-

10) # of AP courses taken: + 174% # of students enrolled + 130%

Economically disadvantaged -- 63 to 259 students African-American -- 53 to 211 students Hispanic -- 8 to 68 students

Three years of rising NAEP scores, black-white gap reduced

Black KPS third-graders outperformed state average in 200982% passed reading, 89% passed math

Significant increases in Iowa Test of Basic Skills (4/10) for first-graders (first group to have all-day Kindergarten)

Structural ChangeReversal of long-term enrollment decline

20% enrollment growth since 2005Enrollment increase the result of:

Increased entry and decreased exit ratesStabilization of ethnic/racial distributionLow-income population has risen: 62% to 70%

Increased resources for school districtPer-pupil funding structureSupport for bond issues (regional)Opening of new schools (first in 4 decades)Redistricting to achieve better socioeconomic

balance

25-Year KPS Enrollment Trend

1985

-86

1986

-87

1987

-88

1988

-89

1989

-90

1990

-91

1991

-92

1992

-93

1993

-94

1994

-95

1995

-96

1996

-97

1997

-98

1998

-99

1999

-00

2000

-01

2001

-02

2002

-03

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

2009

-10

2010

-11

9000

10000

11000

12000

13000

14000

15000

Fall Headcount

Aca

de

mic

Ye

ar

Kalamazoo Promise An-nounced

State and National ImpactContinued interest in replication nationally

About 20-30 new programs modeled on the Kalamazoo Promise

Includes El Dorado Promise, Pittsburgh Promise, Denver Scholarship

Michigan as a national leader in college accessPromise Zones: Public-private partnerships to provide

universal, place-based scholarships in ten Michigan communities

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN): Funding/support for local college access networks (KACAN)

PromiseNet (June 2010) - 200 attendees from 20+ states

The importance of universalityOr, “Why I don’t like the New Haven Promise”

The first comprehensive account of the Kalamazoo Promise, based on three years of research.

Published by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2009.

First-graders at Parkwood-Upjohn Elementary School

Comments, questions, or suggestions: http://michellemilleradams.com

millmich@gvsu.edu

Kalamazoo Promise Research Web Sitehttp://www.upjohninstitute.org

The Promise of Kalamazoo bloghttp://thepromiseofkalamazoo.org